Leap-year baby turns '9' today

Granger woman, 36, born on Feb. 29.

Granger woman, 36, born on Feb. 29.

February 29, 2008|KIM KILBRIDE Tribune Staff Writer

GRANGER -- Though she's a mom with two kids, Kelly Gustafson, of Granger, will celebrate her ninth birthday today. Her son, Adam, will turn 9 later this year. Four years from now, her daughter, Anna, will be 10. That same year, Kelly will also celebrate her 10th birthday. Confused yet? Kelly was a leap-year baby. She was born on Feb. 29, a day that generally comes up on the calendar only once every four years. Though she's 36 today, it indeed is only the ninth "real" birthday she's had. And while her parents, Tom and Valerie Forsey, always made a big deal out all of her birthdays -- whether they celebrated on Feb. 28 or March 1 -- Kelly said her actual leap-year birthdays were even a bigger to-do. When she turned 16, for example, her parents sent her a huge balloon bouquet at school. And, she was allowed to invite 16 friends out to dinner. Kelly grew up in South Bend and went to Clay High School and Saint Mary's College. Currently, she works one day a week as special projects coordinator at her parents' company, Forsey Construction. Her husband, Dan, works there too. As far as her son goes, he says his friends don't believe him when he tells them he and his mom will be celebrating the same birthday this year. "She looks too old," he said, to be 9. All in all, Kelly said, having a Feb. 29 birthday is not a bad gig. "My dad used to say 'You'll never have to lie about your age,'æ" she said. And, it turns out Kelly's mom wasn't only not disappointed at the prospect of having a leap-year baby, she actually sought out advice from her physician on how she might deliver on Feb. 29. She was three days overdue, Kelly explained, so she called her doctor on Feb. 28 and asked what she could do to have the baby the next day. He advised she drink castor oil, which she did, and got the results she was seeking. Kelly, meanwhile, said it's fun to have such a special birthday. A lot of people who she hasn't heard from in a while often send cards and e-mails on her leap-year birthdays. "This week," she said Tuesday, "I'll get lots and lots of 9-year-old birthday cards." Staff writer Kim Kilbride: kkilbride@sbtinfo.com (574) 235-6554